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Gap year

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
I think i'd like to take a gap year after my a levels before uni. I'd like a break from constant studying to go do something different. Who here took a gap year and what did you do? Was it any good?
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi Ballerina. I'm on a gap year at the moment. I decided to work first then go and do some travelling when I have enough money. So at the moment I've just been working but it's been a lot more fun than I thought it would be. I'd reccomend temping as that's what I'm doing and I've managed to get experience in several different areas of work this way and it's been well paid.

    It's certainly been an experience I'd repeat if I had the chance and I'd urge anyone to do it. I'm actually planning my second gap year after I've finished Uni. I mean even without having done the "fun" bit of my gap year yet I've learnt a lot. I've become a lot more mature and more independent. I've gained more experience of working in the "real world" than my friends who went straight off to university have done and on the plus side I'll hopefuly have a bit of spare cash to take with me when I go to Uni.

    I was worried at first because I was one of only two people I knew taking a gap year and I thought it would be hard being stuck at home when they were at Uni but it hasn't been like that at all. So, if the Unis you're thinking of appplying to and the courses don't mind you taking a gap year (be careful because some courses do frown on people applying to take a gap year) I'd say go for it - it's been brilliant for me so far.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    what would you do in your gap year?

    i reckon it might be best to save it till after college/before uni should you decide to go.

    only thing is you might get used to the money and struggle when you get back into FE education.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well my mum suggested going to live and work in america for a few months with my cousin, his girlfriend is in the film industry and said she could get me a job there no problem. just an idea i dont want to be away from home for the whole year though
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    well my mum suggested going to live and work in america for a few months with my cousin, his girlfriend is in the film industry and said she could get me a job there no problem. just an idea i dont want to be away from home for the whole year though


    well do you intend to go to uni?

    'cause if you go now before college you're gonna have at least another 5 year slog in education to do.

    plus might be good idea to think about what your friends will be doing and whether you'd mind being a year 'behind' them.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well do you intend to go to uni?

    'cause if you go now before college you're gonna have at least another 5 year slog in education to do.

    plus might be good idea to think about what your friends will be doing and whether you'd mind being a year 'behind' them.
    she said in her first post that she wants to go after her alevels.. so in 2 years. (i think)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yes i intend to go to uni....but its not about what my friends will be doing, i very much doubt we'll be doing the same stuff. I don't even know if we'll be at the same unis.
    Thats the thing, if i don't then its about 5 more years of constant work, i'd like a break before i do the final 3...well the area im interested in is all 3 year courses
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i didnt take a gap year but a couple of my mates did and after seeing what they did, id say if you are going to take a gap year you need to start planning it as soon as you can. work out what sort of thing you want to do, look into different organisations if you dont want to do it completely independently. one of my mates took a gap year purely to earn some money, the other went travelling for 6 months and it took her quite a while to sort everything out. also try and do something related to what you want to do at uni, thats always useful. but basically, if you want to make it worthwhile, start planning as soon as you can.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    yes i intend to go to uni....but its not about what my friends will be doing, i very much doubt we'll be doing the same stuff. I don't even know if we'll be at the same unis.
    Thats the thing, if i don't then its about 5 more years of constant work, i'd like a break before i do the final 3...well the area im interested in is all 3 year courses
    have you considered taking a gap year during your uni course? it's possible on any course to study or work abroad, which is very beneficial.

    also, have a look on gapyear.com
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lipsy wrote:
    she said in her first post that she wants to go after her alevels.. so in 2 years. (i think)


    ohh yeh sorry my mistake.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kat_B wrote:
    also try and do something related to what you want to do at uni, thats always useful. but basically, if you want to make it worthwhile, start planning as soon as you can.

    To me thats taking it way too seriously, I know loads of people go and volunteer and do good works etc. And thats fine if thats what you want to do, but dont do that just for your CV!

    I went traveling for about 5 months, did nothing really of any social value but I had an excellent time, met loads of great people and really enjoyed myself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I did nothing of social value either really which was for several resaons a) because i couldn't find any agencies that didn't want you to pay thousands of pounds for you to go and "help" people. b) i dont' have any special skills to offer anyone and therefore my going to "help" is likely to be taking a job away from a local person c) i'd been very lucky in life an visitied lots of places already and I realllllly wanted to to got Australia.

    So anyway I travelled lots in the summer after A-Levels (and did lots of sailing). Then worked as a security guard at special events and later as a Press Office assistant and then spent 3 months travelling and then came home and dossed all summer as i'd managed to time my coming home in conjunction with all the universities breaking up and I could only persuade one temping agency to take me on who found me a few odd jobs here and there.
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